Missing You
by ZebbieCullen
Summary: What if Gwen decided to take the retcon and be with Rhys in 'Meat? What would happen to Gwen and Jack after she went back to her old life?...And then Jack's wrist watch beeps. AU. Co-written with Lady Clark-Weasley of Books.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Firstly, I'd like to thank Lady Clark of Books for the idea for this fic and the title. Secondly, it's completley AU, but not in an out of character kind of way - I hope, let me know if it is. It starts during the scene in 'Meat' when Gwen refuses to retcon Rhys. The BBC owns the characters, not me. Rating for language, but in a Torchwood fic, what do you expect? The POV shifts a bit, but it says when it does. Let me know what you think!_

Jack's POV

"You really think that you could go back to your old life before Torchwood?" I asked, looking down at her. The room was silent; everyone was watching us, unable to pull their eyes away. Not that they would if they could, they all gossiped like old ladies.

The problem was, I knew first hand how cold the world really could be. I was glad that she had someone who kept her world bright, but we couldn't let Rhys walk away knowing what he knew. It was too dangerous. I had tried to bring light into Ianto's world, but it couldn't go on. I cared for him and always would, but we weren't right for each other. Deep down we both knew it. Besides, I cared too much for Gwen and I knew that he could sense it when I was with him.

She held my eyes for a moment and didn't rely immediately, as if she was considering it. I found myself holding my breath. "I wouldn't know anything different," she finally said, her voice strong.

Mine however, was shaking slightly at the thought of Torchwood without her. "I would," I said firmly. I could feel tears beginning to form but quickly blinked them away. I was so tempted to kiss her. There were several times that day that I could have, but I forced myself to keep my distance. There were times when I thought she might have cared about me as more than her friend and boss, but I saw the way hers lit up as she talked about Rhys.

She didn't say anything, unable to think of a comeback. I bit my lower lip for a second, silently begging her not to say anything. We both let out breaths we had been holding, our eyes never leaving each other's.

"Give Rhys my love and I will see you tomorrow," I said, dragging each word out, my voice still firm. My eyes however, were probably not. I could almost hear the dramatic music playing in the background around us.

Slowly, she shook her head. I felt my heartbeat increase, thundering against my chest until it hurt. "No," she said; she sounded so small. Like a child who had lost it's mother in a supermarket. "No you won't, Jack."

I took a deep breath and resisted the urge to crush my lips down on hers. It would have been so easy just to take a step forward and close the distance between us. "What do you mean no?" I demanded.

She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a retcon pill. I froze, not breathing again. "Gwen…" I whispered.

She took a step back, finally putting some distance between us. Her dark brown eyes were filled to the brim with tears that were about to overflow. I wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around her and tell her that everything would be all right.

"I can't do it, Jack," she whispered. "I can't do it to him. He's deserves so much better," then, before I could stop her, she popped the pill into her mouth and swallowed it.

"No!" I cried. Everyone in the room gasped.

I shook her shoulders hard. "Why did you do that?" I demanded, almost screaming. I never usually lost control like this. I knew that they retcon would soon start to take effect, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

My mind flashed back to that night in the bar. The time I first slipped her retcon. I hadn't felt like this the last time. Could she really forget all of us? Forget _me_? Was a bond so strong so easy to break?

"Because Rhys needs me," she screamed, her voice echoing against the walls. Tears rolled down her cheeks; locks of dark hair fell over her eyes.

"We need you, Gwen," I shot back, refusing to accept what she had just done. "_I_ need you," I said more quietly. I wasn't even aware that we had an audience. To me, there was only the two of us in the world. Everyone else ceased to exist. We were the only ones that mattered.

She looked at me, her expression deadly serious. "Love…will always come before my job, Jack. Today has made me realise how much I've been neglecting Rhys. It's not fair on him!"

"Is it fair on us?" I hissed. "To just walk out on us?"

"You should have thought about that before you forced me to drug him."

Her eyes moved to the door and she pulled out of my grasp. I was too shocked to try and stop her. She quickly ran down the stairs and turned around. Her chest was heaving, I'd never seen her so mad before.

"Before I forget…thank you Ianto. For everything you've done for me. Take care."

I saw him swallow hard, his voice trembling slightly. "I will."

She turned to look at Tosh and Owen. "Owen," she began. "Stop being an oblivious twat and look around. Tosh has been trying to ask you on a date for months, just say yes and get it over with."

He looked at Tosh, who was blushing dark, crimson red. Owen just stared at her, his mouth hanging open slightly. I couldn't believe he hadn't noticed before. "Is that…is that true?" he asked.

She just nodded, avoiding his eyes. He said something to her, but I didn't hear what it was. I was too distracted to concentrate on anything but her.

"Please," she begged me. "Don't make me remember. It's hard enough as it is. Ianto, give Rhys a retcon pill in a minute, he doesn't need to know either. Good bye, Jack. And please, don't come after me."

She turned around and ran out the door, the alarms blaring. Tosh looked at me and we caught eyes briefly. I turned around and walked past Ianto, who was leaning against the wall with one arm and then downed his drink. I slammed the door to my office and then my fist against the desk, making everything shake just as I was. I turned the screen on and zoomed in from the camera outside. Gwen threw her arms around Rhys neck gently, being careful not to hurt his wound. I ran a hand through my golden brown hair as two fat tears escaped, running down my cheeks.

I didn't understand how she could just walk out like that. Did we mean nothing to her? After everything we've been through this last year and a half, how could she leave? First we lost Suzie to power, and then Gwen to love. I hated Rhys with a passion. He was the one responsible for taking her away.

Of course, we had to retcon him. A) We couldn't let him walk around knowing about what we do, and B) He'd come down on us like ten tonne of bricks when he found his fiancée return with no memory of the last eighteen months. In less than an hour, we would be nothing to her. I never realised she felt so strongly about him. I'd do anything to be in his position.

---

Jack's POV

That was three weeks ago.

Three weeks without Gwen. I kept trying to go and see her, but Ianto always stoped me, telling me that she wanted to be left alone. I know it's selfish, but what about _me?_ I need her. And I'm not the only one. The whole team has changed. Owen is being even more of a twat than usual, Tosh is quiet, and when she does talk she snaps at everyone. Ianto is overloaded with work and never has any free time. I keep telling him to take a vacation, but he won't listen. He just shuts everyone out.

I got Gwen her old job back on the police force and told them that she'd suffered from a head injury and probably wouldn't remember much, so they shouldn't ask her questions.

The blaring of the alarms snapped me out of my train of thought. "Tosh?" I asked, jumping off of my chair.

She was taping away at the keyboard in front of her. "Rift activity. A Weevil."

Great. I grabbed my gun and watched as Owen heated for the SUV, throwing me the keys as he went. Before I knew it we were speeding down the street in the dark, heading for the warehouse that Tosh said the Weevil was in. We were well over the speed limit, but there was no one around. Then we heard sirens. I quickly glanced at the rear-view mirror and saw a police car following us. I bit my bottom lip and reluctantly pulled over, lowering the window.

"Is there a problem Off –"

Gwen.

My breath caught in my throat, cutting off the end of the sentence. It was the first time we'd seen her since her departure. Her dark hair was tied back into a lazy ponytail and her eyes were slightly bored. She was never cut out for a normal life. She needed the excitement and adrenaline to sustain her. That was the reason she was great Torchwood material. I hand picked each member of my team. Tosh for her brains, Owen for his medical skills at such a young age and Ianto because he was a perfectionist with excellent organisation skills. And sort of cute. But Gwen really was the glue that held everything together, and with her gone, things were falling apart.

"The problem is, you were forty miles over the speed limit," she said, clearly not recognising me. My heart plummeted. The only sound in the SUV was that of Tosh's tracking device.

"This is an emergency, we're in a bit of hurry," I said in monotone, digging my ID from my pocket and handing it to her wordlessly, avoiding the gaze of her chocolate brown eyes.

I saw Owen gazing out the window out of the corner of my eye. His chin was resting on his hand; his other one was bunched into a fist. I bit the inside of my mouth as she handed the ID back and told us to go. I slammed my foot down, to get away from her more than to catch the Weevil. No one said anything, pushing it to the back of our minds. We had more pressing matters. Unless we caught the Weevil, people's lives were at risk. I'd deal with her later.

"Teams of two," I said, stepping out the car and slamming the door shut loudly. "Ianto, you're with me. Owen and Tosh enter through the fire exit round back. Let's trap it."

I received a nod of confirmation as we split up. Guns raised Ianto and I entered through the main door, pleased no to find any blood on the walls or floor. We checked each room on the first floor while Owen and Tosh did the same on the second.

I flinched as I heard a gun shot go off. "Jack, it's heading for the stairs!" Tosh's voice echoed through my ear.

Ianto and I ran to cut it off. It worked; it was trapped between the first and second floors. It hissed and looked at us with black, empty eyes. It looked more aggressive than Janet did, so I guessed it was male. Owen fired a tranquilliser dart at it, but it jumped out the way and lashed out towards Ianto.

"No!"

It took two more darts to get it off him. Owen was at Ianto's side in a second, putting pressure on his side. My gun was still trained on the Weevil's still form, but my eyes were on my friend, blood gushing from his side. My heart was hammering against my chest, a high pitched ringing sound echoed through my ears. I couldn't loose another friend.

"Let's get him back to the Hub," Owen said, throwing Ianto's arm around his shoulders. Tosh did the same with the other arm. "Just a scratch. He'll be fine."

I sighed in relief, but didn't relax. We transported the Weevil into the Hub, in a cell next to Janet. I wanted to throw it back into the Rift, but Owen said he wanted to compare the males vitals to females. He bandaged Ianto up and gave him some painkillers. I was shocked to watch him try and go back to work, filling out forms from behind his desk. I shook my head and sighed. He put way too much pressure on himself.

"Go home," I told him.

He shook his head. "There's a lot of paper work to do."

"Ianto, you're hurt. You need rest. Do I need to make it an order?" I asked, putting a sense of authority into my voice. I turned around to see Tosh and Owen sitting in front of computer screens. "In fact, everyone gets the night off. Go, now! Get out of here!" I snapped.

They watched me for a second longer before gathering their stuff and scrambling away to who knew where. I ran a hand through my hair and collapsed into a nearby chair. I couldn't get Gwen's face out of my mind. I knew I'd still be seeing her around – it was impossible not to with this job – but I never imagined it would be so hard. I should have been happy for her. After all, she was getting married soon.

I looked at the clock against the wall. It read ten PM – not too late to get a drink down at the local bar. I picked up the keys to the SUV and drove away. There was nothing of interest on the radio, so I played a CD of classical music, but found that that didn't even relax me.

I parked against the curb and watched as some young kids staggered into a car, obviously pissed out of their minds. I remembered doing the same when I was their age. Years later, not much had changed. A woman walked out of the bar backwards, talking to someone inside. She continued walking and stepped into the road, at the same time the drunken teenagers pulled away. Before I had time to think about it I shot out of the shadowed SUV and tackled the woman to the ground. Strawberry shampoo filled my senses; I could feel her breathing heavily underneath me.

Gwen.

I would have stayed there, completely frozen had she not tried to push me off. I kept forgetting that she didn't know who I was. To her, I was just some random strange man on top of her.

"Oh, my God," she whispered, watching as the car drove off. I burned the license plate into my brain; I'd report them later.

I reluctantly helped her to her feet, not wanting to loose the contact. She felt so right under me. "Are you OK?" I asked.

But before she got a chance to answer Rhys ran out of the bar. "Gwen!" he cried, appearing by her side.

"I'm fine," she was quick to reassure him.

He pulled her into a hug and then turned to me. "Thank you," he said.

"Are you sure you're alright?" I asked her again. I didn't want her to leave; I tried not to let my hatred for Rhys show. After all, to him, we'd never met before.

She just nodded and thanked me again. I swallowed hard and walked back to the SUV, afraid that if I didn't leave then, I wouldn't have been able to.

---

Gwen's POV

I watched as the man who had saved my life walked away. He was the same man that I had pulled over for speeding earlier. He looked oddly familiar, but I couldn't place him.

I felt Rhys' arms around my waist and looked up at his worried eyes. "I'm fine," I mumbled, but I was shaking slightly. I couldn't believe I didn't hear the car coming, I hadn't had that much to drink.

"Stupid kids," he mumbled. "You could have been killed, if it weren't for that man."

I looked around, but didn't see him anywhere. He was gone. "Where did he go?"

Rhys shrugged. "I don't know," he brushed a lock of hair out of my face. "Do you want to go home?"

I nodded once, breathing heavily. I was still shaking. But not from what had happened. From what I _saw_. When the man's body made contact with mine. Images flashed through my head. A man, tall and thin with short curly hair. He vaguely reminded me of a brunette Spike from _Buffy. _He was dressed in a sort of cowboy style. I saw the man that had saved me wearing a long coat, his hands in his pockets. They were staring at each other, a fountain behind them. I recognised the area, but neither of the men.

What was it? A vision of some kind? I'd never even seen the other man before. I shook the thought out of my head as we returned home. Rhys unlocked the front door and pulled me down onto the couch, wrapping his arms protectively around me. He said something to me and I answered automatically, not thinking about what I said. His breathing soon evened out and I knew he was asleep. I waited for a few minutes and then slipped out of his grasp.

I went to the bathroom and looked into the mirror, removing the make-up I was wearing. I stared at my reflection. Dark hair, dark eyes, a few freckles, a small gap between my teeth. Gran says I look like my great grandmother. Not much is know about he – just that she was a Victorian maid. We don't even know how she died. She just seemed to disappear.

I rubbed at my shoulders. They ached from where I had been thrown to the floor. I could already feel a bruise forming.

I felt Rhys' arms wrap around my waist, the sudden contact making me jump. I should have seen him coming in the mirror, but my eyes were unfocused. Another image flashed through my mind. A dinner table, with a red cloth over it. Wine glasses and silver cutlery. An expensive restaurant. Rhys.

I gasped and pulled away.

"What's wrong?" he asked, worried.

I shook it off as nothing, hoping he wouldn't notice my tension. "Cold hands. I'm fine."

He grinned sheepishly and rubbed his hands together trying to warm then up. I took a deep breath and pushed the image to the back of my mind. What was happening to me? Nothing like this had ever happened before. Was it possible the man that saved me from the car drugged me with something? But what? No drug I had ever experienced made people get weird flashes of events.

"I was thinking," Rhys said, taking a step closer to me, closing the space between us. "It's been ages since we've been out on a proper, romantic date. How would you like to go to dinner with me tomorrow?" he asked.

Dinner?…At a restaurant…?

"Sure, sounds great," I forced a half-fake smile onto my face. "Er, where are we going?"

Hr grinned and tapped the side of his nose. "It's a surprise."

I just nodded, knowing he wouldn't budge. Pushing all of the thoughts of dinner and cowboy vampires out of my mind, I took his hand and pulled him towards the bedroom. I was exhausted.

---

Jack's POV

I threw back the last of the beer and slammed the bottle down on the desk. I couldn't believe how close she was to being run over. I don't know what I would have done if I had lost her. It's not like I can follow her into the next life. Sometimes I wish I really could die – for good, not just a few seconds. No one would really miss me anyway. She wouldn't remember me, Owen and Tosh would get over it in time and Ianto would probably distract himself with work and would soon forget all about me. Still, it was all very well making assumptions, but I have no way of finding out if it was true.

I had thought about telling Gwen everything again, but seeing her with Rhys – how happy she was. She'd only hate me if I ruined it all.

A soft beeping sound filled my office. I looked around for my phone, but saw that it was switched off. A light from under my shirt caught my eye. I pulled back the sleeve. My wrist watch was beeping. Memories of what happened the last time it did that flooded my mind. Captain John Hart.

Shit.

_TBC_

_A/N: I've been super busy lately, what with coursework and exams just around the corner, so the next chapter may not be up for quite some time...like the middle of next month?_


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Wow, I finally updated! I'm_ really _sorry it took so long, but I suddenly forgot everything I had planned for this fic. Same disclaimer as before. A big, BIG thank you to Lady Clark-Weasley of Books who not only helped me write this chapter, but pretty much saved this fic!_

Jack's POV

Shit. It never beeps. Except when...

What the fuck is he doing back? Last time he was here he almost killed Gwen with that bomb -she was going to sacrifice herself to keep everyone safe. I can't believe I was ever in a relationship with John Hart. What was I thinking? And more importantly, what was I going to do about him. He was dangerous; I couldn't just let him walk around poisoning and shooting people. Murder rehab had done him no good.

I'd handle him on my own. If he proved to be a problem, I'd call Owen for back-up. I felt my heart plummet when I saw his location. The bar I had saved Gwen from being run over outside of. The same bar he trashed last time he was here.

I slammed the accelerator down on the SUV and tore out of the parking lot. There were very few cars on the road at this hour – two in the morning. Music was blaring from various different night-clubs, coloured light flashing around me.

I slammed the door open, my gun raised. He was standing on a table dancing, a bottle of alcohol in his left hand, a weapon in his right. The place was trashed, glass on the floor, alcohol on the chairs, chairs turned over. I guessed old habits die-hard.

"Jackie boy," he said without turning around.

I cringed at the nickname. Owen had started calling me that after we'd sent John home the first time. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you now," I said, only just loud enough for him to hear.

He jumped off of the table, not paying any attention to the gun I was waving in his face. "Believe it or not, I didn't choose to come here this time."

I smirked. "I said a good reason," I fired a shot just missing his ear. He flinched. "What do you mean you didn't choose to be here?"

He took a swig from the bottle and offered it to me. I refused. I wasn't going to be so trusting this time round. "I hijacked a ship from the Varians, but it was damaged during my escape. It was about to crash, I had to eject and ended up here on this dump."

I cringed again. I felt uncomfortable with him using the word 'eject' in my presence. "Why can't you leave?"

He shrugged casually and sat down on a barstool like he was in a business meeting. "I need parts for the ship."

I eyed him suspiciously. "What do you need?"

He shrugged again. "Just basic parts. I could buy them from a mechanic here."

"So why don't you?"

"Aren't I allowed just a little bit of fun?" I could tell he wasn't taking me seriously.

"No," I said firmly.

He scoffed and took another swig. Drunken bastard. "Lighten up, Jack," he told me light heartily. I didn't want to lighten up. I wanted him gone. I wanted to go home and sleep. I wanted Gwen. "So how is everyone?" he asked. "Has Owen finally got his head out of his ass and bed Toshiko yet? And are you still with that Ianto guy, or have you moved on to Gwen."

I stiffened at the mention of her name; he noticed. His expression changed to mock sympathy, but his eyes were laughing. What did I ever see in him? Then again, probably nothing, he was just a pretty face – and not even that anymore. He'd aged; the years had finally caught up to him. "What's wrong?" he asked, and then he smiled. "Oh, don't tell me she chose the sarcastic one over you. But then, you can see why. There's just something about a man with a medical degree –"

"She quit," I said harshly, cutting him off mid-sentence.

Now he generally looked shocked. "Really?"

I just nodded, not liking the new look on his face. I told him she'd taken a retcon pill, so wouldn't remember him, hoping to discourage him. It didn't work however. "So she's a free agent?" he asked.

"She's getting married, in case you forgot," I shot back in defence. I wouldn't let him anywhere near her!

He got up and walked around casually, my gun still trained on him. I heard sirens in the back ground, obviously coming to investigate the disturbance. "You know," he began, taking another swig from the bottle in his hand. "Maybe it's time I took a vacation. Know any where good?" John asked me in his arrogant voice. "Maybe I'll just go and say hi to the lovely Miss Cooper."

Then, taking me by surprise, he kicked the gun out of my hand swiftly. I lashed out at him, my fist connecting with his jaw. He brought his knee up to my stomach, leaving me gasping for air. I was out of focus; I must have had more to drink than I thought. Then John slammed the bottle against the side of my head. That was the last thing I remember before pain, and everything going black

Gwen's POV

I was sitting there in a bar waiting for Rhys. He was late…again. Not that I blamed him, his mum had been bugging him for details of our wedding, which will be in two days. It was almost too good to be true. P.C Gwen Williams had a nice ring to it. P.C Gwen Harkness….

…Harkness? Where did that come from? I never heard the name Harkness. I shook my head, getting rid of the random and alien thought from it. I had more important things to think about.

"Here you go, love, have a drink on me," a man said placing a double shot of vodka in front of me, the strong scent would have probably filled the air around me had it not been from all the cigarette smoke floating around.

I looked up to him, he was rather good looking in a dark eerie way…rather young…dark hair and familiar eyes, although I couldn't place them.

"The names Grey, and you must be Beauty."

I blushed; a cheesy pick up line from a kid had just made me blush! I must be getting desperate or he is a charmer. I like the latter better - I was getting married afterall. His name was odd, I wondered if it was an abbreviation for something, but didn't ask.

"Gwen, not beauty," I said taking a sip of the drink he placed in front of me. To my surprise he took my hand and kissed it.

"Pleasure," he muttered against my skin…his eyes were so cold, yet I couldn't stop looking into them.

"Have we met before?" I asked tearing my gaze away from his eyes. "You seem familiar."

"Trust me sweetheart, I would remember you if we had."

I blushed again, heating rising to my face.

After a few more drinks I began to enjoy Grey's company…probably more than I should. Rhys never turned up, he sent a text saying his mum needed him to do some DIY stuff and he'll see me later, tomorrow the latest.

It was getting late, so I thanked Grey and stood to leave. I swayed on my feet and struggled to remember how much I'd had to drink. I realised I was in no position to get home and I was a police officer - I couldn't drink and drive. I was thankful when Grey offered to help me walk home. He's hand was cold on my skin.

Somehow he persuaded me to show him my wedding dress…with me in it.

And then everything went black...

_TBC...hopefully soon!_


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Another big thank you to Lady Clark, who wrote the rough draft for this chapter. Sorry I didn't respond to many reviews last chapter, but let me know what you think and I'll be sure to get back to you!_

Gwen's POV

I woke up to find myself tied to something in a dank, dark place. I could feel cold metal behind me, I guessed I was tied to a pole. I was still in my wedding dress; I blinked trying to re-adjust to the light. I head was throbbing slightly and I had to wait a few seconds before the room stopped spinning. I was pleased to see that the dress was relativley clean, although held a few creases.

"Curls suit you Gwyneth," an American accent said, startling me. I wasn't alone, but was that a good thing or a bad?

I looked up to see a middle-aged man wearing a red jacket with brown curls…I'd seen him before…somewhere… He held up a mirror and I saw my reflection. My hair was done in elaborate, bouncy curls…I had a veil on.

"You need a finishing touch," he said grinning. He held up a costume tiara and placed it on my head. "Miss me, Gwyneth?"

"Who are you?" I breathed, and why was he calling me Gwyneth? It wasn't my name, but is wasn't far off. How did he know?

"Well, he wasn't kidding when he said you can't remember anything…shame, you were a good kisser."

The man cupped my face, I shook him off…I knew him…I didn't trust him…something about him makes me feel…sickened. And he radiated arrogance in thick waves. What possible reason did I have to trust him? I had been kidnapped and was now tied up, and I didn't have the first bloody clue as to where I was. Luckily, I was a police officer and was trained to deal with these types of situations.

"Listen sweetheart, I know I play the bad guy well…yes I have an addiction to alcohol, drugs, sex and killing, but I love him so much and I want him safe…besides something about ya makes me want to know you more," the corner's of his mouth tugged into a smile.

I couldn't help but blush; he was a charmer…creepy…but a charmer.

"My name isn't Gwyneth," I said. "It's Gwen, just Gwen. Cooper."

"I know, we've met before - like I said, you were a great kisser."

"I thought you said I was good, not great," I said, teasing him. Underneath that creepy…aura, I got the feeling he was a good man, I wanted to help him.

"Now, now Gwyneth, we all know you're an amazing, fantastic, wonderful kisser, but I can't stand here all day dishing you compliments. Jack needs us."

I blinked a few times. "Who?"

"Jack, Captain Jack Harkness, your boss, the guy you're in love with."

"I love Rhys," I told him, not that I expected him to know who that was, but I hoped the fact that I was in a wedding dress would tip him off. "I don't even know this Jack guy."

The man laughed "Rhys? That fat lump whose been cheating on you for the past two months?"

"You're lying," I said, not believing him. Rhys would never do that.

"Sweetheart, I may be a compulsive liar but I wouldn't lie about that. I've been stalking you for two months, you and your loving fiancée"

I shivered. He had been _stalking _me? For _two fucking months_? Who was he, and what was I going to do? "Why?" Tears stung my eyes. Why would he cheat on me? I'd done nothing but be good to him? I loved him!

He shrugged matter-of-factly. "Because Grey hired me to," he misunderstood my question.

"And who is Grey? What does he want with me?"

"Grey is a very sick man…and he wants you to hurt Jack."

Jack…that name…why does that name keep making my heart leap? Why do I have the urge to help this man who has done nothing but stalk me and then admit it?

"I'm scared sweetheart, I'm scared of what he's going to do with you and Jack, believe me when I say I have fallen for you…sweet mother of god I have fallen for both you and Jack…and he's going to kill me, because if I don't do what he says…this will go off."

He pulled the sleeve of his jacket up and showed me the most disgusting sight I have ever seen…a bomb glued to his skin.

Jack's POV

I woke up to a pounding in my head. My eye lids were heavy, but I forced them open. I was in a dark room, I couldn't see anything. I heard something scurry across the floor and wasn't sure I wanted to. There was the sound of water dripping from a pipe or something, hitting the ground in big droplets. I groaned and realised I couldn't move my arms - they were chained to the wall. I was also missing my shirt. There was something sticky against the side of my face, it was probably dried blood.

Blood. John. Fuck.

_TBC...I just couldn't resist making Jack shirtless._


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Bit more language in this one than usual. Another thanks to Lady Clark who helped write the part from Owen's point of view. For disclaimer see chapter one._

Owen's POV

I woke up to the sound of my door crashing down on to the floor. That was the second door this month…I lost the first when Janet the weevil decided to visit me…or was it Bob? I could never tell the two apart.

I stumbled out of my room to see Ianto and Tosh instead of the local weevil. Ianto was in his usual suit, I wondered if he had any normal clothes.

"Oh, what the fuck guys? I just brought that door. If this keeps happening my landlord will kick me out," I complained. The last time had been difficult to explain.

"Jack's missing again," Ianto said as he and Tosh stepped inside. I didn't even bother to try and clean up; there was too much stuff and not enough room.

"So? He'll turn up in a month's time, he always does," I said, heading to the fridge for something to eat. Jack was always disappearing on us; I didn't see why this time called for door destruction.

"Gwen's missing as well," Ianto said, a dark tint to his voice.

I froze. Torchwood hadn't been the same since Gwen left. There was just something…missing. And the change in Jack was noticeable even by the weevils. Perhaps he'd gone against her wishes and made her remember and they were where ever Jack went when he disappeared for months on end.

"And Tosh has found John on several CCTV films."

That changed everything. I slammed the fridge door shut and looked at the pair of them. John _Hart? Well,_ how many other bloody Johns did we know?

"He's been following Gwen and Jack…occasionally Rhys," Tosh informed me, matter-of-factly, fiddling with some device in her hand that did fuck knows what.

"Who cares about Rhys? The psycho has got Jack and Gwen," Ianto said, his eyes flaring in anger. "He obviously wants revenge…it's always revenge with those guys…remember last week?"

We shivered at the memory of the latest psycho that wanted revenge…at least last time he wasn't after Gwen and Jack. Nah, he was just after me…all because I slept with his girlfriend.

"I can't locate them... something is blocking every trace I placed on Gwen and Jack," Tosh frowned, obviously frustrated.

"You bugged Jack?" I asked, feeling impressed.

She smiled warmly. "Not that hard when he's drunk, just slip a couple traces on his coat and have one put in his filling and bingo, Captain Jack Harkness is under my surveillance. Trust me when I say you all are."

"How did you do the filling?" I asked trying to suppress the shudder at the idea that Tosh had me bugged and I had no idea how or where. "Somehow I don't think your tongue is that gifted Tosh." Although it wasn't bad from what I remembered from the kiss we shared at the last New Years Eve party.

"Unlike you I am very friendly with the dentist," Tosh snapped. "He did it as a favour."

"Like I said – we have a wonderful dental plan," Ianto said with a dreamy smile, I suspected he was shagging the dentist.

"I hate dentists, they're just there because they failed med school," I mumbled, my voice still hazy from sleep.

"Someone is scared of the dentist," Ianto taunted in a sing-song voice.

"Shut up and make me coffee. We need to find Jack and Gwen, not discuss my rational fear of dentists."

Tosh snorted, "Your fear is anything but rational, Owen Harper."

I glared at Tosh, I was about to say something about her, Ianto and the dentist when Ianto pressed a mug of coffee in my hand…God bless Ianto.

Jack's POV

There was a draft coming from somewhere, which would have made me shiver had it not been for the fact that I was struggling against the chains that bound me to the wall so hard I was sweating. When I got my hands on that bastard I was going to kill him, plain and simple. I'd make him suffer the way he made me. I'd make him regret ever knowing me and ever looking at Gwen. So help me if he touched her…

I could only hope that someone had realised I was missing. I had no idea where I was, but eventually Tosh would piece together all the pieces of the jigsaw and locate me. How long would that be though, and what would happen until then? Please on everything holy and unholy - especially unholy because with the things I've done there is no way in hell God will answer my prayers - let them find me.

I cried out and tugged on the chains one last time but it was no use, they were bolted into the wall. I was breathing heavily and I hung my head, trying to catch my breath. My eyes had adjusted to the darkness, but the cell was empty, there wasn't even a window; I had no way of knowing if it was night or day. The metallic smell of blood was beginning to get to me, dragging many painful, long buried memories with it. I could hear footsteps approaching. My head shot up, my dark hair sticking to my forehead. The door suddenly crashed open, echoing against the walls. It let in no light, much to my dismay.

I expected John to casually stroll in, his thumbs under his belt, smelling of alcohol and radiating arrogance.

"Hello, Jack."

If it was possible to die from shock I would have…not that it would really matter. "Gray?"

It wasn't possible. Gray was dead. But he wasn't. He was standing in front of me. "Hello big brother." So John hadn't been lying when he said he'd found Gray.

He'd changed – he'd grown up. Except his eyes, they were hard, but they were still the eyes of a child. I could see my mother in him. Her lips, her nose, her face shape.

"How?" I asked, my voice thick with unshed tears.

How did he survive? I let go of his hand. I let go of his fucking hand!

"How am I here?" he asked, I just nodded pathetically. "I was captured - never died...just tortured. Aren't I the lucky one?"

I couldn't believe it. My baby brother was alive. The guilt I had carried with me for so long had been for nothing. I could have gone and saved him. Why didn't I realise it?

"Help me," I said, tugging gently on the metal chain. We didn't have much time before John showed up.

His calm expression didn't change. "I can't."

"Why not?"

He smiled, but there was nothing comforting about it. "Because then I'd have to catch you again."

"What? No, Gray, listen to me, we have to get out of here - John's a psycho.

Grey laughed - not a cheerful one, not even a bitter one…but a terrible high evil cackle, similar to the Master's. "You have it wrong big brother. John is only doing his job. It's time for my revenge."

I heard the words, but my brain didn't register them.

Gray smiled; I shivered. "She really is beautiful, Jack. I can see why you love her. That glossy dark hair, those soft eyes...that soft skin."

Gwen! I pulled on the chain to get as close to him as I could. "So help me if you've hurt so much as _one_ hair on her head I will kill you, brother or not," I hissed, my voice laced with more venom than I thought possible. The thought of him even looking at Gwen made me sick. Why couldn't the universe just leave her alone? For the first time in my life I hoped she was safe with Rhys.

"You know what? I think you'll need a nurse when I'm finished, but we're fresh out of them… However, I have a lovely bride that could help you."

My eyebrows knotted together in confusion as he began to hum 'Here Comes the Bride'. The door crashed open again, this time letting a blinding light in that stung my eyes. Once my vision refocused my heart nearly stopped. John had just led Gwen in.

_TBC - quick question: should I keep writing in first person, or switch to third?_


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far and to Lady Clark for the rough draft! Hope you like the chapter._

Gwen's POV

"Gwen?"

I looked up to see the most handsome man I have ever seen. He was shirtless and chained to a wall. He looked like he had been tortured. He was so familiar…I knew him, I tried to grasp hold of a memory of him, but it had already slipped away. I just couldn't place him.

"Yes brother, your darling Gwen," Gray said. "She's very beautiful, pale skin, dark hair, lovely eyes, you know I was so close to having her right there on the floor, maybe I should. What do you think Jack?"

The man called Jack growled, a long deep growl that reminded me of a wolf. My heart was pounding against my rib cage as his words echoed through my head. I stepped back scared of what Gray and this Jack were going to do. Right then it felt as if John was the only one I could trust and that was scaring me even more.

I still had no idea where I was or what was going on. I knew it was probably time for my wedding. My parents and my friends were probably worried and looking for me. At small part of my mind was thankful for the situation. I'd left Rhys at the altar in a sense. Thanks to these three men I wouldn't have to marry a cheating bastard. But I'd think about that later.

"If you so much as touch her Gray, I will kill you!" Jack sneered, pulling violently at the chains. I jumped at the startling pitch of his voice.

"You wouldn't hurt me, your own _brother,_ will you?"

His words confused me further. This Gray bloke said they were brothers and was asking Jack if he'd hurt him, yet Gray was the one that had Jack chain half-naked to a wall.

"What happened to you Gray?" Jack looked so sad, so broken…I wanted to wrap my arms around him and tell him that everything would be okay. His eyes kept darting towards me, but only for a second, like the action was trying to go unnoticed.

"You did, Jack. You let go of my hand, you left me there for those monsters to take me," Gray's voice was calm and matter-of-factly, but his eyes were so cold I wondered if they would soon freeze over.

"I didn't know Gray, I swear to God I didn't know. I've spent centuries thinking you were dead."

Centuries? He didn't sound like he was speaking figuratively. How old are these brothers? They only looked to be in their early thirties.

"I was chained just like you, to a bunch of rotting corpses, our fathers, our friends, our neighbours, the smell…God the smell…"

I let out a sob, I couldn't help it, the story was so sad and so scary. John wrapped an arm round me. I froze, I still couldn't trust him, and I still felt sickened to be near him. He'd brought me here.

"John, don't tell me you're comforting the woman that took your man," Gray said, tilting his head to one side.

"She didn't take him, he went freely," John said stiffly. How did I take his man? I didn't even know them. "This hasn't got anything to do with her Gray, let me take her home," he nearly begged.

What? No, he can't take me back, he needed me, Jack needed me, they were going to die. Gray was going to kill them.

"And let her run to Jack's little gang?" Gray sneered, sounding a bit like a jealous child.

"She doesn't remember them, to her we don't exist – well, we do now, but slip her a retcon and she won't remember you," Jack said, tears welling up in his baby blue eyes. He was pleading for my freedom like John was…

He looked so broken, but there was nothing I could do.

"But Jack, she's immune – well, she will be by now due to the amount of retcon I have given her over the past two months," Gray said as if it were obvious.

I shuddered. There had been blackouts in the past few months. Rhys suspected that I had been drinking more or hitting my head more often at work. Pieces never fitted together, I had been to see a doctor about it, but he said it might have been the stress… But now…good God, what had he done to me in those missing memories?

"What have you done to her?" Jack bellowed the very question on my mind.

"Nothing much, just talked. Told her everything…she cried…she cried for me, for John, for you. Such a sweet girl. I bet she could recite the story with the right prompts," he turned to look at me and smiled the – there was no other word for it – evilest smile I'd even seen.

I cried harder, I wanted to go home. I wanted to eat pizza with Owen and Tosh, drink Ianto's coffee and play basketball with the four of them. I wanted to…I froze. Wait, who were Owen, Tosh and Ianto? Why did I want to be with them so badly? I didn't know, and that brought on a new round of tears.

"Gray, brother, please don't do this" Jack pleaded, hanging his head, avoiding eye contact.

"Don't worry brother dear, I won't kill her. No, when I'm finished with the pair of you, killing her would be a mercy killing…but I am not merciful."

I felt John's grip tighten on me, his words were ringing in my ears: _I have fallen for you. _And suddenly I knew he would protect me as much as he could. It made me feel slightly safer.

"It's all your fault Jack," Gray said, taking a step closer to him.

"My team will find us," Jack spat at him.

Gray laughed that cold laugh; I had shivers down my spine.

"Tosh, Owen and Ianto? They're going to be really busy soon, Cardiff will have one hell of a day, and don't bother calling Miss Jones or your Doctor they're not coming either."

_The right kind of Doctor. _That sentence was whispered in my ear by Jack's voice, but his lips didn't move…

"Today brother, is the start of a life sentence, you will finally understand how I feel," Gray vowed, pulling a knife from his back pocket. He slowly started to advance towards Jack, his empty eyes examining the knife as he went. "It was so cold. Every day I begged for death, Jack. But it never came. Every day I hoped would be my last. Every day I hoped I would be able to escape the pain. And every day I blamed you!" on the last word he plunged the knife deep into Jack's chest.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I screamed, pulling away from John and running towards Jack, tripping over my dress as I went. I landed on my knees in front of him, staring in horror at the blade sticking out of his heart. "Your own brother! He's your brother!" I screamed to Gray, who merely smiled and walked out, taking John with him. John himself gave me a small smile and a wink.

I turned back to Jack and felt for a pulse, my hand trembling. There was nothing, but the weapon was directly through his heart, I didn't expect there to be.

He was dead.

I tried to choke back a sob, but they were too powerful to control. Soon I was shaking and beating the ground with my fist. I took a deep breath and removed the knife from his chest, it was too disturbing to look at. My head was pounding, as was my heart in my rib cage. I felt a strange connection to the man hanging limp from the wall. Gray was a monster. And he was going to kill me next.

Suddenly I heard a loud gasping sound, followed by the sound of the metal chains being tugged. I jumped back in shock as I watched Jack thrash around for a few seconds. I was too scared to scream, probably a good thing, I didn't want Gray coming back.

"Y-you're alive" I murmured. "Impossible." For some reason I needed to know it wasn't an illusion. I leaned in and placed a kiss on his soft lips…more like gently brushed them…they were warm. And his pulse was strong.

His soft voice echoed through my mind again.

"_I can't die."_

"_What do you mean you can't die?"_

"_Just like I said, one day I died and woke up…ever since then I can't die."_

All at once I remembered everything.

My name was Gwen Cooper and I worked for Torchwood.

_TBC_


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: Since neither Lady Clark nor I or any of our friends could remember if there were any Torchwood lockdown protocols, I didn't mention it_

Martha's POV

I stood there in shock, not moving a muscle, my mouth hanging open. Probably a stupid move, but it wasn't everyday my car was stolen by a giant blowfish – the car I just brought yesterday I might add.

I gritted my teeth and let out a furious scream which echoed around me. I was already late for my date; this was the last thing I needed.

I ran back to the headquarters garage and towards the first motorcycle I saw. It was a good thing Tish went through that bad girl stage and taught me how to hotwire correctly. Never thought I'd actually need to use it though, especially for blowfish related problems.

I couldn't believe I found this a normal occurrence in my life. I hoped Owen wouldn't find out, I'd poked enough fun of his blowfish experience. I sometimes wondered what my life would have been like had I not met the Doctor. I spoke to him regularly and thanked him everyday for the things he'd shown me.

I hitched the skirt of my dress up and swung a leg over the midnight black bike and started the engines, it roaring to life beneath me.

I quickly drove off, ignoring the shouts of my co-worker who owned the bike. He'd understand.

When I got my hands on that blowfish I'd make it up to Tom by making him sushi.

Tosh's POV

Every search I did came up wrong. It was so frustrating. I had checked and re-checked every CCTV camera in Cardiff and all the nearby towns, every bug and tracer I had on the two of them, but nothing came up! It was almost as if Jack and Gwen had never existed. They were just gone…

I held back a sob, I can't lose either of them. Jack had saved me from a fate worse than death and Gwen was my closet and best friend…well, she used to be.

We used to do everything together. If one of us had a problem we'd go to the other first and foremost. I'd never been able to relate to Suzie, she was just too different, and I always sensed that something wasn't right with her. But Gwen was an amazing person, and now she didn't even know who I was. I hated not being able to talk to her.

After she retconed herself I was tempted to slip into her life casually, maybe bump into her at a pub or move into the flat next to her. I even considered getting myself arrested, but Owen and Ianto did that five times and Jack said if any of us did it again we would all be on weevil duty for the rest of the year.

Without warning alarms started blaring. I jumped off of my chair and ran to the computer screen. There were spikes, many spikes, of Rift activity, and they were rapidly speeding up.

"Guys, we've got Rift activity!" I shouted, although I knew Owen and Ianto would have heard the wailing alarms.

"We've got worse than Rift problems," Ianto said, his Welsh accent stronger than usual, as it always was when he was stressed. "I know you've been busy, you probably haven't noticed, but there's been a cut in all telephone lines."

"What?" I shrieked. He was right, my attention had been on locating Jack and Gwen, but I had monitoring devices on the city. Why didn't they alert me?

Before Ianto could answer the lights dimmed to a glowing red, and the door swung shut…lockdown. Ianto, Owen and I were locked in while a whole wave of Rift activity was destroying Cardiff and Gwen and Jack were missing. How could we help them now – and what the hell had triggered the lockdown system!? There was only one word I could use to sum this up.

"Shit!" I hissed.

Ianto blinked in surprise, not just from being trapped in the Hub. I wasn't one to swear very often.

Owen ran into the control centre dressed in black. His hair was messy as if he'd run his hands through it repeatedly. "What the fucks going on?" he demanded in true Harper fashion.

"I don't know," I told him calmly whilst furiously tapping at my keyboard. I entered my access codes but it wouldn't let me into the system. Not that it would matter; the protocols couldn't be lifted for a long period of time. "Something's messing with the computer system; I can't even locate the source."

"So what do we do?" Ianto asked, his face red from the flashing lights.

Owen was at his own computer but obviously got the same message I did. He dug his mobile phone out of his back pocket and flipped the screen up, muttering a curse when he realised that system was down as well. With Jack missing he was in charge of Torchwood Three. "I don't know," he mumbled in answer to Ianto's question.

John's POV

He led me towards the Hub and slipped inside. No one was in reception – which left me slightly disappointed, the Welsh guy that Jack was with last time I'd been here was kinda cute, but Gray would only have killed him – and due to that bloody perceptive thingy he had he slipped in unnoticed. He was going to lock the three musketeers in - and then have fun with them.

I had one last thing to do…press a button to cut off the telephone network and press another to mess with the Rift.

I did it swiftly, not really thinking of the consequences. My thought and only concerns were locked up in a cell far away. I took a deep breath a typed in the co-ordinates into my vortex manipulator…the Valiant here I come.

With a flash I stumbled into the cell Gwen and Jack were locked in. Gwen looked furious, scared and sad all at the same time. Her dark hair had gone wavy rather than curly and was hanging over her face. She looked so vulnerable, but there was a spark in her beautiful chocolate brown orbs. Jack's face however, was a blank mask, not even his eyes giving anything away…this wasn't going to be pretty, even with the two of them combined.

_TBC_


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N:...I'm running out of things to say in these. Thanks for all the great reviews, and I hope you like the chapter!_

Ianto's POV

The three of us sat together round Tosh's computer trying to work out Jack's passwords to revert the lockdown. Or at least stop the bloody alarms and flashing lights.

"Of all the stupid things to do," Tosh hissed just loudly enough for me to catch. "To change the passwords when you're drunk and then not tell your team the new codes," she was typing fast, attempting things that sounded Jackish – was Jackish even a word?

"I might try Gray, Estelle, Doctor, Rose and Gwen if I were you," a deep, mysterious voice said from the shadows. "Those are the people he loved and lost."

Owen and I pulled our guns out and took a step in front of Tosh. We exchanged a look out of the corner of our eyes for the briefest second. We were clearly both thinking the same thing: How the hell did anyone get in? The Hub's security system was full proof, we couldn't get out, and nothing could get in. Those were the rules. And then of course there was the fact that no one but us knew the Hub even existed!

My eyes darted around the room, but I was unable to locate the source of the voice.

"Whose there?" Owen called, but his voice was muffled by the alarms. "I'm warning you, we're armed. Show yourself!"

A man stepped into the light, I gasped; he looked like Jack, the resemblance was uncanny. Except his eyes. They were hard and cold, and a dark shade of grey; empty.

"And so am I," he said pulling out a tranquilizers gun and shooting Owen before he could react. Owen collapsed onto the floor in a heap. I fired a shot but my aim was ruined when I felt a sharp sting in my arm. Quickly everything went dizzy, and there were three men compared to the one we'd started with. I collapsed onto my knees and heard a dull thud somewhere; Tosh had been shot as well.

Owen's POV 

I groaned as I began to regain consciousness. My head felt like a thousand leprechauns had danced on it…again. I swore the last time that I wouldn't go drinking with those evil fake Irish aliens…but I didn't did I? My eye lids were heavy, but I managed to pry them apart. I opened my eyes to see a Jack look-a-like smirking.

"Good morning sunshine," he said cheerfully.

I winced, he sounded like he'd spoke with a megaphone, even though I knew he was speaking perfectly normally. I wondered what he'd drugged me with. I tried to lunge myself at him, but I couldn't move, my arms were chained to the wall. From the corners of my eyes I could see Tosh and Ianto either side of me, chained up. Fuck, Jack wasn't even this kinky.

"Now, let's have introductions. My name is Gray and I am here for my revenge," the guy said using that irritating mocking tone. "And you three are Ianto Jones, the tea boy, Toshiko Sato, the nerd and Owen Harper, the jackass."

Yeah, that sounded about right…hang on, did he just insult me? The room was still spinning slightly, as were my thoughts. Did he just say his name was Gay? It was impossible, he shouldn't have gotten in. Even if he had been in before the lockdown was triggered the sensors would have picked him up on the system.

"Now, I know you three haven't actually done anything to me, but since Jack can't die, I'll just make him suffer by hurting his precious little family," Gray said in a matter-of-factly tone.

Why was it that whenever someone wanted revenge on Jack, we were always the ones to get hurt? And did he say family? Well, I'd disown Jack the moment I got free. No way was he getting his inheritance. No way was I buying him a Christmas or birthday present…oh wait, I don't but him a Christmas or birthday present anyway…

"Who shall I torture first?" Gray said with an evil overlord smile, his voice still mocking, the type a teacher uses for a five year old. It made my skin crawl…if my skin could crawl I could scare those bloomin' trick or treaters on Halloween…hmm… Focus Harper! I had to find a way to escape.

"How about ladies first?" he said, walking towards Tosh. NO! Not Tosh, anyone but Tosh.

"If you touch a hair on her I will kick your arse from here to wherever the hell you came from!" I growled, my voice coated in venom. If he hurt her I'd make him _wish_ he was dead.

"Trying to protect the little girlfriend," Gray mocked. I felt my blood begin to boil. "How sweet." I felt like I was drowning in honey whenever he spoke.

'Tosh isn't my little girlfriend. She's my best mate. She understands me, takes care of me…aw fuck, I love her, and theirs is no way I will let that bastard hurt her.'

I heard a female gasp. Shit… I'd said that out loud hadn't I?

I risked a glance at her out of the corner of my eye. She was blushing. On the other side of me I heard Ianto sigh and mutter, "Damnit, Jack wins the pot."

Wait a minute, Jack and Ianto were betting on us?! I mean, sure, Tosh and I had been betting on how long they had been shacking up for, but –

"Yes, Owen we were. Honestly, even Janet the weevil could see it," I said that out loud again, and I noticed how he didn't comment on the shacking up thing.

"Well, if Doctor Harper wishes his little girlfriend to be safe maybe he should go first?" he asked, although his tone made it clear it wasn't a question. He grinned at me and slowly started to advance.

"Don't you dare touch him," Tosh hissed. I felt flattered, but if it kept her safe I wished she'd shut up.

"No Doctor Harper and no little girlfriend…the tea boy then."

Fuck, this guy was forcing me to choose between the woman I love and my best friend.

"Thanks Owen, never thought you liked me that much," I heard Ianto mumble.

Great, now Ianto knows I care about him…damnit. How am I supposed to keep up the bad ass look if I keep admitting my feelings like a pansy? Although I supposed that was the least of my problems.

Gray crooked his head to one side and smirked. "Tea boy it is then." He unchained Ianto and quickly gagged him.

"Ianto!" I screamed, trying to break free of the chains, but it was no use. There was nothing I could do. I hung my head in shame.

I could hear Tosh silently sobbing next to me. My eyes shot up to look at her. Tears rolled down her cheeks and her eyes were unfocused, staring ahead.

"Tosh," I whispered. "Tosh? Toshiko, look at me!"

She slowly dragged her eyes up to meet mine. They were two pools of liquid chocolate. She looked so sad. I tried to reach for her, but forgot about the fucking chains.

Ianto let out a piercing scream that echoed throughout the whole Hub. I swore, and Tosh's sobs grew louder. I should have gone instead; Ianto didn't deserve that pain…who else was going to make the coffee? I dug my nails into my palms to stop myself from crying out; I knew Gray wouldn't stop anyway. I turned my attention back to Tosh.

"He'll be OK," I told her, trying to sound confident, but I'd never heard a scream like that before. "Jack will come and find us, he'll save us, he'll save us all and then I'll help Ianto. Right?"

She held my gaze for what seemed like the longest time before biting her bottom lip and nodding. I stretched my hand out as far as I could, my middle finger just brushing hers. She looked up and reached as well, wrapping her middle finger around mine, it was the closest we could get. She felt cold.

The silence that surrounded us was worse than Ianto's screams. What was Gray doing to him now…was he even still…no, I couldn't think like that. We'd already lost Gwen, we couldn't loose anyone else.

"Owen?" Tosh whispered softly. I turned to look at her. "D-did you mean it?"

"'Course I did, Jack will find us in time."

"I meant…what you said when you told Gray to leave me alone," she look at the floor, obviously embarrassed.

I never meant to admit it. Usually I was able to keep my thoughts in my head; I blamed whatever I had been drugged with. But if Jack couldn't help us, then I needed her to know how I felt. She couldn't die not knowing.

"I love ya, Tosh," I laughed, even though there was nothing funny about the situation. "Think I always have."

She didn't say anything to start with. I could feel her gaze on, even with my eyes closed. "Owen?" she finally whispered.

"Yes Tosh?" I said just as quietly.

"W-when Jack gets us out, do you want to go on a date sometime?"

I allowed myself a small smile. I was about to except her offer when Ianto let out another piercing scream, Tosh let out another sob and I let out another curse. At least he was still alive.

Jack's POV

"What do you want?" I asked John coldly. "Haven't you done enough damage?"

"Jack…please listen to me," John said in a pleading tone, but I'd heard it before. "I had a bomb attached to my arm, glued to my skin; I had to do what he asked."

"He did, Jack," Gwen said, looking up at his arm.

"You could have died," I said flatly. "I would have died for you, once upon a time," I whispered.

He looked down, ashamed.

"Jack," Gwen whispered softly. Her voice calmed me instantly. I'd missed it so much. "He cares for you…let him help us, we don't know what Gray is doing to the others. They could need are help."

My heart melted into goo. Gwen looked at me with her sad dark eyes…I closed my own and remembered her kiss and how it felt before I opened them again. "OK, he can help, but we need to get out of here!"

_TBC_


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: Only one more chapter after this guys, but L.C and I are planning a sequel, so keep your eyes peeled! Very angst filled below btw. And I love the fact that Jack and Gwen are saving the team shirtless and in a wedding dress. ;)_

Jack's POV

John reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver, rusty key. I didn't even bother to ask why he hadn't used it sooner, I didn't have the strength. I just wanted to get out of here and stop Gray before he could do anymore damage to anyone.

I still couldn't believe he was even alive. After all these years of believing I'd never see him again, he was now holding his own brother and the woman I love captive. And I didn't even want to know how he met John Hart. Of all the people in the world it just _had_ to be him.

John unlocked the shackles around my now raw wrists and I practically threw myself over Gwen, hugging her as tightly as I could. It felt so good to hold her again, and she still smelt amazing – strawberries and vanilla – even after all this time. She grabbed a fistful of my shirt in her hands and pressed her face against my neck. She obviously didn't care about the layer of sweat, blood and dirt I was covered in. Neither one of us said anything.

John was looking away at the ground politely. I didn't the man was capable of politeness, but he seemed to have changed a lot. Hard to believe he had nearly killed Gwen and he was now helping us to escape. He coughed, but I didn't pull away. I just opened my eyes and looked at him, still holding Gwen close.

"What's Gray planning?" I asked, but not entirely wanting to hear the answer.

John's face was bleak. "He wants revenge, Jack."

I felt my blank face slam on and merely nodded, suddenly very worried for Ianto, Owen and Tosh. But the Hub was designed to keep unwanted visitors out. Surely Gray wouldn't be able to find them. But then, he'd found me.

"Where are we?" Gwen asked, finally pulling away.

John pulled his sleeve up and pressed a few buttons on his wrist watch that wasn't too dissimilar from my own. "The Hub," he said.

He'd teleported us. He must have overridden the system somehow. We were in the lowest level, where we kept Janet the Weevil. However, it was silent. There was no soft growling or howling that usually filled the room. Janet was gone. I couldn't help but feel a twang in my heart; I'd gotten a bit attached.

I looked around and felt my heart stop altogether. Not that it mattered. Ianto was slumped in a cell – he'd obviously been thrown there – bloody and bruised. Gwen noticed him soon after and gasped, a hand flying to her mouth. I felt tears sting my eyes and got to my feet shakily. I tried to punch in the code, but it kept refusing it. I swore inwardly; I'd changed the passwords recently, but I had been to drunk to remember them. I slammed my fist against the glass, but it was bullet proof. Instead I grabbed John's gun and but a bullet through the control panel, the door clicking open in response.

Gwen and I were at his side in an instant. My hands were shaking as I reached for a pulse, terrified that I wouldn't be able to find one. I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding when I felt it beneath my fingers tips. I nodded to Gwen, letting her know he was alive. His pulse was weak, but it was there. He had cuts across his cheeks and forehead and various burn marks over his neck. There wasn't even a word that described the injuries on his chest however.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered, praying he would open his eyes at my voice, but he didn't. I took his hand in mine and entwined our fingers.

Everything was my fault – Gray's suffering after I let go of his hand, John nearly loosing his life from the bomb that had been fused on his arm and now Ianto…He was one of the best people I knew, he was the _last_ person that deserved the torture he'd been forced to endure at the hands of my little brother.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw John shed his jacket and hand it to me. Being very careful I slowly lifted Ianto's head and slipped it underneath.

"He's cold," Gwen whispered. I'd noticed that too. "Do you have a knife?" she asked.

John nodded and pulled a thin blade from up his sleeve – literally. Gwen took it and reached down, ripping the end of her wedding dress, I was glad she'd chosen an extra long one. She took the material and laid it over Ianto's still body. It wasn't much, but it was all we had.

"One of us should stay with him," she said, wiping away two tears from her cheeks.

"I will," John volunteered, kneeling down beside poor Ianto.

John's POV

I sat there with the tea boy as the two people I had ever loved went upstairs to face a deranged monster bent on hurting them. I couldn't believe I had had a role in it.

The tea boy gave a harsh breath. He wrinkled his eyebrows in thought and I couldn't help thinking how cute he looked. Jack sure knew how to pick em'. "Come on eye candy you can do this," I murmured stroking his hair. Blimey it was soft; I reckoned he cleaned it four times a week. "Jack and Gwen and the other two need you. Who else will make their coffee?"

His breathing quickened slightly and he tensed beneath me; he was panicking. "Shh…I'm not gonna hurt you," I said in what I hoped was a convincing, soothing manner. "I'm on your side" his breathing slowed down and his eyes opened, confused and beautifully blue.

"Hart," he hissed, obviously recognising me from our previous encounter.

"Heya eye candy," I said, shifting position so that I could look at him more easily. "Don't panic, I'm on your side. Jack and Gwen are safe…for now. They're gone up to stop Gray."

He went pale. Well, paler, which was difficult considering he didn't have much colour to being with. "The man is a freaking psycho," he said softly, so softly that I almost didn't hear him.

"Don't I know it," I agreed heartily. "Guy strapped a bomb on my arm. Hard to believe he's your lover's brother isn't it?" I asked. He and Jack were so different, but it wasn't hard to see that Gray wasn't right in the head.

Eye candy gave a weak chuckle, but his expression soon turned to one of pain. "Jack and I are over, have been from the moment Gwen walked out. How can I love a man who loves a woman more than life itself?" he asked a rhetorical question, his voice raspy. I could tell speaking hurt him. Hell, breathing probably hurt him.

"Well, at least you didn't fall for the pair of them," I mumbled. Gwen was a beautiful soul and Jack was an amazing shag. The pair of them won my heart over and there was nothing I could do. "Maybe you and I should go out sometime, after we get out of this of course," I added quickly.

"As long as I pick the restaurant," eye candy said wincing, from the wounds or from old memories I wasn't sure. I remembered Jack's taste in restaurants myself and couldn't help but let out a wince of my own.

"Come on, let me get you to the med bay," I said, hauling him up and having him lean all his weight on me. I imagined he was in too much pain to notice anymore at this point.

Gwen's POV

We found Tosh holding a beaten up Owen in the med bay. She was crying and trying to shield Owen from anymore harm. He looked similar to poor Ianto, except he was conscious thank God. Gray was holding a gun to her head, clearly enjoying himself. The sick bastard.

"Drop the gun now!" Jack snarled, low and deadly. It made me shiver.

"I take it John set you free," Gray assumed correctly. "A weak man, he is," he concluded.

I felt my blood boil to a point where I was sure it was dangerous for my health. "John Hart is a better man than you will ever be," I said, my voice hard and cold. John had made mistakes, but he had tried to fix them. And he was forced into it, it wasn't entirely his fault. He I could forgive, Gray I never would.

Gray laughed his cold laugh again. I shuddered, it really was creepy. "The man has been stalking you and you think he is better?"

"He tried to save us, that says something," I said through gritted teeth. I tried to keep my eyes from Tosh, for fear of drawing his attention back to her.

Gray smiled, his white teeth gleaming. He had Jack's smile, but it got the opposite reaction from me as his older brother's did. "I think the annoying bride should learn to shut up," he snarled. He moved the gun away from Tosh's head and aimed it at me. I froze, staring at the metal weapon in his hand.

His finger tightened around the trigger…

…and John Hart jumped in the way, the bullet hitting him square in the chest.

"JOHN!" Jack shouted, watching in shock as the other man moved his hand to his chest. Blood seeped through his shirt and covered his fingers. I caught him in my arms and fell to the floor holding him, my dress getting stained by his blood.

"Gwen…" he whispered, choking slightly.

"Shh… It's all right," I said, stroking his curly hair. Tears were streaming down my face, blending with the crimson stain on my dress. "Why did you do that?" I demanded.

"Because I love you," he whispered, wincing strongly. I could see the love in his eyes shining through.

"Shh, don't talk," - even though I had just asked him a question - "You're going to be alright."

He smiled sadly, his eyes filled with pain, his breathing laboured. "No I'm not," he said. I didn't want to admit it, but the bullet had to be mere centimetres from his heart. "But its OK…you take care of Jackie boy over there for me. He loves you."

I shook my head. "Come on, John, you can pull through," I begged. "Please…"

"Not this time, toots," he said, cupping my face and brushing a thumb against my cheek. "At least I got to see a beautiful soul before I died." His hand then dropped but I caught it and held it against my cheek. His eyes closed and he went limp.

He was no longer breathing.

He had no pulse.

Captain John Hart had just died for me.

Jack looked furious; he jumped onto his brother and pulled out a handkerchief, smothering Gray's mouth before he could react. Chloroform. I couldn't believe he had gone down so quickly. After all we had been through and all he had done, all it took was some chloroform to stop him.

"I can't kill him," Jack said holding his brothers limp form. He looked so torn, so broken. I didn't know how he felt about John after our last encounter, but I knew there was a time he loved him. Hell, he had been married to him! I hardly knew him and I was sobbing silently.

"Gwen," I heard Ianto hiss, breaking the silence. My head snapped up to see him slumped against a wall, a hand pressed against his ribs. Good old loyal Ianto Jones. "Why are you in a wedding dress?"

"Yeah, Gwen," Owen chipped in. "You and Jack been up to something that we should know about?" he joked weakly. I couldn't help but notice that his hand was entwined with Tosh's.

Despite everything around us, I allowed myself a small smile. I was home. I was with my friends - friends who I considered family, friends I'd do anything for and I knew they would do anything for me. It was good to be back where I belonged.

_TBC - I'd actually gotten quite attached to John, I'm sad that he's gone now. Our target for this fic is one hundred reviews, so please let me know what you thought!_


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: Well, here's the final chapter. Thanks to all who have read and reveiwed! You guys rock! And a BIG thanks to Lady Clark, who saved this fic._

Gwen's POV

It had been two weeks since Gray had captured us and tortured us all in some way or another. Ianto was alive and recovering, enjoying us mothering him for once, though it wouldn't last long…not all of us know how to use the coffee machine. Owen is also well and healed up rather quickly, he wasn't as badly injured as Ianto had been. Tosh is radiant, I think it has something to do with the fact she and Owen are officially dating…that and she seems pretty happy having me around again. It was good to _be_ around again.

Unfortunately, Jack had been depressed. I couldn't blame him, his baby brother was a psycho and his ex-lover was dead. We ended up freezing Gray; the young man is now asleep besides the young sleeper we froze weeks before I left. I didn't know what to say to him to make him feel better though. In a way I missed John. He was just misunderstood. And he had saved my life.

And me? Well, I haven't left the Hub yet, if that tells you anything. I've been sleeping on the couch here, not really ready to face Rhys yet. I've been wearing Jack's clothes as well, I enjoy the scent…Jackish is the only word for it – is that even a real word? None of us were ready to leave the Hub. When I wasn't kipping on the couch I' was curled up with the whole gang in the med bay. Owen said it's because we all went through the same thing and we found comfort sleeping beside each other. Personally, I think we all missed each other.

Today I am taking the first steps. I'm going to go over to the flat, break up with Rhys, pack up my stuff and move down to the Hub…until I can find somewhere else that is.

Jack drove me over. The tension in the car was thick, but neither of us said anything, each in our own thoughts. He looked tired, even though he'd been with us every night for the past fourteen days. He walked with me up to the door and knocked three times.

Rhys answered. His hair was in a mess and he looked like he'd lost a bit of weight…finally. Shock registered on his face quickly followed by anger which was quickly replaced with relief. I looked at him, but felt nothing. No love, no adoration, nothing. Just pain and bitterness. But I was better off without him.

"Gwen? Where the hell have you been? Our wedding was a week ago!" he snapped, running a hand through his hair. It looked like he'd stuck his finger in an electric socket. "I stood there looking like a fool!"

I felt my blood boil. I couldn't help it, I swung my fist into his nose. "That's for cheating on me," I spat. I think I broke something. Jack was sniggering behind me.

I pushed Rhys outside and slammed the door shut, leading Jack inside. I offered him a drink but he refused, of which I was glad. I had so many memories of this place, I wanted to just get out as quickly as I could and forget them all. To bad I was immune to retcon – not that you could choose which memories to get rid of anyway.

"I'm missing some photos," I said sadly, as I packed the last of my belongings.

"What photos?" Jack asked, looking shifty and uncomfortable.

"The ones of us," I sighed, sitting on the couch. "You know, the ones of the Christmas party, New Years, that day at the beach…one of the only times I have ever seen Ianto out of his suit," I let out a small laugh.

"We took them," Jack said with a shrug. "You erased your memory, remember? We had to. I have them in my office if you want them back."

I nodded. "Yes please."

Jack hauled my suitcase and sports bag into the SUV while I took a final look around the place I had once considered home. I didn't know where Rhys was, I didn't care either. I reached down and slowly slid the engagement ring off of my finger and slammed in on the counter. I slammed the door shut again and climbed into the SUV.

"Before we go home…" I started, but he cut me off.

Jack looked at me funny. "Home?" he asked in an amused tone.

"The Hub," I elaborated, and looked out the window. "It is my home," I said to him. "Do you have a problem with that?"

He gave a cheesy, Jackish grin. "Well, it's nice to have such a beautiful roommate, Janet isn't much of a looker." But his heart wasn't in the joke like it used to be.

We drove in silence. I stared ahead, unfocused and not really thinking. Trees were blurs of green, signs were blurs of grey, car were blurs of whatever colour they were, mostly blues and reds. I shifted in my seat, John's final words playing in my head like a broken record.

I took a deep breath and asked the question that had been playing in my mind for weeks. "Jack, I need to know," I said, looking at him, but not making eye contact. "What John said, is it true? Do you love me?"

He waited a couple of seconds before answering. "Why do you need to know?" he asked in a stone cold voice. I flinched, it reminded me too much of Gray's.

"Because…because I love you, and I don't want to attempt anything if you don't love me back," I admitted softly. If I was going to be living in the Hub I needed to know where we stood.

He pulled up in the underground parking lot. "Oh Gwen," he murmured, reaching over to take my hand in his. I automatically entwined our fingers. "I love you, so much. I love you more than life itself," he leaned in and kissed me gently. "I love you more than the air I breathe," then his lips were over mine again. I kissed him back, sucking gently on the bottom one. They were soft and warm; I couldn't help but let out a small moan.

Tosh's POV

We had just finished playing snooker. Much to Owen's chagrin I won all five games. However, he did enjoy the show when I was leaning over the table to take my shot. We picked up a pizza (vegetable, neither of us was prepared to eat meat, not since the incident that made Gwen leave) and had a small picnic in the park, enjoying the fresh air and being together.

It was our first night out of the Hub in months. The pair of us had been scared to leave in case Jack, Gwen and Ianto were to get captured or killed. Owen said it was something that happens after survivors suffer a traumatic experience. Personally, I think we all missed Gwen, we all wanted to comfort Jack and we were all scared Ianto was going to get hurt and not survive this time. Luckily, his injuries had healed nicely with the help of some alien technology.

Owen walked me to my front door, his arm never leaving my shoulder. It was a warmth that I never wanted to let go of.

"I guess this is goodbye," Owen said shyly, I never knew that git could be shy. But I'd found out there was a lot I'd hadn't known about him before we started dating.

"Yeah," I said, unlocking the front door. "Unless, I don't know, you want to stay for coffee or something?"

"Coffee would be good," he said, but he wasn't looking at me properly, his eyes were drawn to my mouth.

I threaded my hands through his hair and pulled his lips down to meet mine. He responded instantly, pushing me inside, kicking the door shut and then pushing me against the wall.

Bugger the coffee, I was going straight to bed with this guy.

Ianto's POV

I was finally free from my prison after what felt like years. While I was healing up from the torture sessions Gray had given me I was literally smothered to death. Gwen cooked chicken soup, Tosh kept bringing me entertainment, Owen kept checking me over in case he missed something, Jack would plump my pillows, bring me flowers and grapes. And all four of them would sleep on top of me.

I don't care that Owen said it was some post traumatic stress syndrome, he still snores, Tosh still kicks in her sleep, Gwen keeps drooling on my shoulder and Jack keeps saying Gwen's name in his sleep. Or perhaps moaning is more accurate.

The first thing I did the moment I left the Hub was check my flat over. Cleaned it, watered the plants, threw out mouldy food etc. I still hadn't found Tosh's bugs…I bet anything that she had more on me now than ever.

I put on my best suit and went to the nearest gay bar. I didn't risk having any alcohol. I did, however, had a lovely orange juice.

"Excuse me, may I sit here?" I heard someone say from behind me.

I looked up to see a young man with short, spiky blonde hair. He smiled warmly, his white teeth gleaming. He was gorgeous.

"S-sure" I stammered, blushing slightly. Strange, since when do I stammer?

"Jake Simmonds," he said, extending his hand.

"Ianto Jones," I replied, taking it in mine.

The next morning I woke up with a gorgeous man in my bed.

Tosh's POV

The next morning I woke to the delightful smell of Owen's...cooking? I got out of bed and pulled on the T-shirt he had been wearing the previous night. I left my room and walked into the kitchen. He was standing in his boxers frying bacon. Who knew he could cook?

I walked up to him and wrapped my arms around his waist. "Morning," I whispered, my voice hazy from sleep.

He turned around and brushed some stray locks of dark hair from my face. His hair was sticking up at strange angles and his eyes were molten chocolate. He smiled and kissed me gently.

Gwen's POV

The next morning I woke up to Jack covering my face in kisses. What a way to greet the day?

"I missed you," he murmured when he noticed I was awake.

I smiled. "I've been missing you too," I whispered softly, before pulling him up for a proper snog.

_A/N: Well, I hope you liked it! The sequel should be up soon - look out for "Wedding From Hell"._


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